The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to routing cabling through a hinge provided with a convertible information handling systems
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some information handling systems such as, for example, convertible laptop/tablet computing devices (also known as “2-in-1” laptop/tablet computing devices), utilize mechanical linkages to allows the computing device to convert between different use orientations. For example, convertible laptop/tablet computing devices typically include one or more hinges that movably couple a display chassis that houses a display device to a base chassis that houses computing components, input devices, and or other computing device subsystems. As such, a display cable that connects the display device to the computing components must be routed through the hinge(s) in order to, for example, allow the computing components to provide information for display on the display device. Conventional convertible laptop/tablet computing devices have been provided that include a pair of hinges (also known as a “split hinge” design) mounted to opposite edges of each of the display chassis and the base chassis. In many situations, the split hinge designs allows the display cable to be routed between the display device and the computing components without any display cable issues. For example, the smaller hinge chassis used to provide the hinges in the split hinge design typically house a hinge mechanism adjacent a first end that is coupled to the base chassis and the display chassis, and include a free volume adjacent a second end that is opposite the first end for routing the display cable without issue.
However, some convertible laptop/tablet computing devices have moved to a “monohinge” design, which provides a single hinge as the only hinge device that couples the display chassis with the base chassis. In such monohinge designs, a hinge chassis houses a hinge mechanism that includes a first shaft that allows rotation of the display chassis relative to the hinge, and a second shaft that allows rotation of the base chassis relative to the hinge, in order to provide the laptop/tablet convertible functionality discussed above. However, such monohinge systems route the display cable through the hinge mechanism such that the display cable extends around each of the shafts in a manner that has been found to require a larger hinge chassis than is necessary (i.e., relative to when that hinge chassis is provided according to the teachings of the present disclosure), while also increasing the chance of damaging the display cable through repeated engagement of the shaft(s) and the display cable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved convertible device hinge cable routing system.